67King

Wow, I'd worry about the integrity of the fastner if one did that. Why not just use a smaller fasteer? I've unforunately broken a fastener like that (was installing a Honda piston squirter bolt w/ a checkball in my old Ford 2.3 turbo)

Better 6 than 12.

.....but even track entrance is not fun.

ditch68

Very much function for me. To me, the performance and safety mods and a stripped out "race car" look ARE beautiful form. Things like Fikse FM10's and braided lines with aircraft fittings and roll cages improve the looks of a car, not detract. So like said by a few people already, form and function are not mutually exclusive.

I do want to someday find an early N/A 944 that would be 100% stock and unmodified. Guards red with Fuchs, black interior. And THAT one would be made to look pretty. SO I could have the best of both worlds - keep the 951 for the track and weekend driving and continue to mod the crap out of it and make it closer to a pure track car, and tool around in the N/A as more of a real comfortable and stylish daily ride.

Jeff

911tracker85

years ago I tended to be more of a form followed by function.

card carrying nerd when I graduated high school in 1969, still have my slide rule that hung from my belt loop on my shelf to remind me of those days.

had to wait until I finished college and got a good job to get my first NICE car. but by then the new cars had been neutered by smog/cats. I still kick myself for not finding a used, adult owned late 60s muscle car in great shape. but NOOOOO.... wanted a NEW car.

so looking good was the main goal. why else would I buy a new Trans AM auto with 6.6liter V8 and all of 200hp that started choking at around 4500 smothered by smog/cat. all the show and decals and spoilers/vents of a boy racer but not much in the go department.

over time my taste in cars matured, thankfully. when I got my 911 it was mainly because it was beautiful, and targa top-off driving a blast. took me a while to fully appreciate the function/performance of the 911.

then I started going to DE/track it became more function then form. my wife says I ruined the beauty of my 911 in the process of morphing into a capable street-able DE car.

but since I know I'll never be the fastest, I MUST look good too. put most of my leather interior back in after installing a cage. and always have to paint/polish/clean anything I fix.

yea ... a bit OCD

as posted already, these don't have to be mutually exclusive unless you go to the edge of either. balance is what I strive for, best of both worlds.

911tracker85

a few example pics to prove the OCD point.

BlackOp

Try to balance the two...but ultimately a mechanically unsorted car doesn't serve any purpose. You can't even get groceries with a car on sticks....

911tracker85

if you thought I meant my cars aren't mechanically sorted, you misunderstood me. and probably wonder why I posted on this forum. just getting started on this one.

Turb-OH Brad

Function over Form. That's why I bought a 944...

It's an ugly little bitty, but it's a heck of a lot of fun to drive!

BobSantos

The 944 is a beautiful car in many ways. So I appreciate the form.

The 944 also is a great machine. It is designed to performance standards exceeding most other cars on the road. It's also useful and comfortable. These are its functions.

Moreover a car must function in several ways to actually be defined as a car.

As far as which one - form or function - I subscribe in large part to the school that states that there is beauty in function. Form without function, in other words, is not as beautiful. It lacks a certain honesty, which is also beautiful.

Take a low car and slam it to the deck and stretch the tires over the wheels and I can appreciate the aesthetic effort to produce something that diverges from function. It's just not for me.

Dutch944

Function over form.. But i do have to say that every time i make something, i make it look good as well, if it doesn't destroy any of the function

333pg333

Clearly you can have both. Wanting more rubber by buying wider wheels...well of course you buy wheels that you like the looks of too. Unless it's a dollar driven purchase...

Cole

Not a single person here can honestly say function over form 100% otherwise ya'll would have just bought a Corvette. For the dollars that need to be spent they can be faster, lighter, more rubber, etc, etc, etc.

V2Rocket

good luck moving an entire apartment's worth of contents in the back of a vette though

Cole

One of GMs long standing design requirements is to be able to carry two sets of golf clubs in the back. So you may be surprised what will really fit in the hatchback of a Corvette.

FrenchToast

Can't add to that. Essentially the philosophy behind (most) Porsche designs.

Exactly. And hence, nothing can be purely form nor purely function.

Just as long as you have full thread engagement. If it involves safety, I don't care how much it weighs. Well, massive amounts of weight equals massive momentum, which can be unsafe. Compromise gets us again. Nonetheless, if another hundred pounds overall would greatly improve safety - I would go for the safety.

I would argue otherwise. It's purpose (or better yet - function) then is of an art form, or even as a family photo, keepsake, etc. for lack of better terms.

Yep. Good!

There is something more incredible in balancing the two well than completely embracing just one of them. To me.

For instance, since track cars have come up; track cars are most times about function, right? Fast track cars don't impress me that much. Fast track cars, with, among other things, amazing attention to detail, design for function and of form, of course safety, impress me.

I have seen hundreds, maybe thousands of track cars. Leaving out factory cars, the ones that impress me I can count on my fingers. Including factory efforts - I might need to include my toes.

Quite a philosophical thread, this.

Take care!

MAGK944

My favorite cars of all is the xj13. It was built to do one thing, race and win. It is pure function from the visible rivets in the bodywork, the bare bones dash and the air grills to the engine and drivetrain.

...yet by chance they made the most beautiful form, I just love the way it looks. For a 60's car it would stop traffic even today.

Eye candy for those that haven't seen it: